Many computer-based information systems utilize communication configurations known as Local Area Networks (LANs). Data communication in LAN systems may be implemented in various ways, including using light-wave communication. LAN light-wave communication systems typically utilize light emitting diodes (LEDs) or semiconductor lasers as light sources for a fiber-optic communications network, from which optical receivers receive the light-wave information carrying the system data.
In LAN light-wave communication systems, the speed, quality, and distance of data transfer between sending and receiving units may be limited by characteristics, such as response sensitivity, of the system components. Effective sensitivity of an electro-optical receiver may be defined as the optical power level incident upon the receiver where the recovered bit stream has a bit error rate (BER) of 10.sup.-9 or better. FIG. 1 shows a prior art receiver, which, when used with the LAN electro-optical interface transmitter of the above-mentioned copending application, U.S. Ser. No. 07/782,176, has an effective receiving distance of about 65 meters for a 660 nm plastic optical fiber (POF) system using a polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) fiber.
What is desired, is a LAN electro-optical interface system with improved data reception sensitivity, allowing for increased data transmission distance between light-wave transmitting and receiving units.